Ave Maria - En Plein Air

Finnish singer Tarja Turunen is one of the most well-known heavy metal soprano singers and one of the most important female voices and faces in metal music. No other voice and artist influenced and basically created the female fronted symphonic metal genre as much as Tarja. A pioneer in goth and symphonic metal, the classically trained Finn rose to fame with the band Nightwish, whose face and voice she had been for 9 years. In 2004, she started her successful solo career, carrying her own name and releasing three studio albums so far. Classical music was Tarja Turunen s first love though. The classically trained soprano studied Church Music at Sibelius Academy in Finland as well as German Lied at the Music University of Karlsruhe, Germany. She has always crossed genres and musical cultures, showing a wide versatility with projects such as Tarja Turunen & HARUS and Beauty & The Beat ; HARUS being a mix of traditional and modern pieces whereas Beauty & The Beat created an interface between classical and rock music, arranged with orchestra and choir. Adored by many fans as their Goddess , Tarja has the skill to carry her fans away just by her presence probably more than any other female artist in this genre. She is one of the few artists who can perform at the biggest rock and metal festivals one night, in a cathedral the next. Ave Maria En Plein Air is Tarja Turunen s classical solo debut album. It features 12 beautiful Ave Maria songs by a wide variety of composers. Tarja Turunen breathes life into some of the most loved and rare songs of Paolo Tosti, David Popper, Astor Piazzolla, and of course Johann Sebastian Bach/Charles Gounod, among others. The closing track of the album presents a magnificent composition by Tarja Turunen herself. Ave Maria is a traditional prayer dedicated to the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus, asking for her intercession. It has been set to music in over 4000 songs, some of which kept the original prayer as words while others used a different text than the traditional one. Recorded in the stunning Lakeuden Risti Church in Seinajoki, Finland a snow-white landmark, both national heritage and significant example of modern Finnish architecture designed by famous Finnish architect Alvar Aalto the Lutheran church offers the perfect soundscape for Tarja Turunen s crisp clear voice. Combined with a piercing organ, cello and harp, the music blends into a rich sound universe.